Alumni

Alumni Council

Made up of 25 alumni appointed to three-year terms and the president of the Student Alumni Association, this board meets three times a year at WIU. Members represent the interests of alumni and serve as liaisons to 25 University areas. The council assists in the recruitment of students, selects Alumni Award recipients, and was instrumental in establishing the Student Alumni Association.

NEXT MEETING: Saturday, January 26, 2019Macomb, Illinois

2019 Alumni Council Meetings

Saturday, January 26

Saturday, April 13

Friday, August 9 and Saturday, August 10 - Alumni Council Reunion Weekend

Friday, October 4

A letter from the Alumni Council President

Dear Fellow Leatherneck Alumni and Friends,

In my last letter, I wrote of the Winds of Change at Western and that Alumni must not stay on the sidelines. I challenged you to get involved. As I enter my second year as your President, I urge all of you to not only embrace the challenge, but also consider these examples of HOW you can and must make a positive difference for Western.

Here’s how YOU can make a difference NOW:

Be informed … NOW

Know the facts about Western. Be wary of inaccurate rumors, social media traffic, and even newspaper articles about the “State of Western” and other Illinois state universities. A major announcement was made in July of a new reorganization that will prepare Western not just now but for the future. Our University leadership has never been more challenged or more critically in need of our support than now and in the coming years. Please go the WIU website at wiu.edu for details of this exciting strategic plan that will be the blueprint of success for Western for years to come.

Reconnect with your Alma Mater … NOW!

I encourage you … no, I urge you, to take a trip back to Macomb and visit the campus and the town that made your college days so special. Much has changed yet much remains the same from the days when you attended Western. The campus has never looked better with the new recreation center, revamped and upgraded Student Union, Corbin-Olson remake, football stadium and other athletic facilities upgrades. You won’t even recognize your Alumni House—so beautiful.

What remains is the tradition of when you attended Western. The town even has new motels and a Buffalo Wild Wings! I still miss the Roe Boat, Walt’s Office and The Black Bull Taco House, but the new establishments are great. Come back to Western and rekindle those golden moments and that special spirit that made you so proud to be a Leatherneck—make a new and lasting memory.

Do something to help Western ... NOW!

People often ask me, “John, what can I do to help Western?”

You can help now with your time, influence and dollars. Every Western graduate has one of these three resources:

Time - Make it a point to not just talk about attending an alumni event in your area. Make the time to attend it and bring three or four of your fellow alumni that you still stay in touch with and perhaps consider starting with Homecoming 2018.

Influence - Never has there been a more competitive playing field for incoming students to colleges and universities, especially in the state of Illinois. If you have a child or know of a high school junior or senior and can talk about Western personally, you will have helped recruit a talented freshman or maybe a group of friends from the same high school start a trend to GO PURPLE! If thousands of you commit to doing this, one can only imagine the impact to our enrollment numbers now and in the future.

Dollars - You are all aware of the financial struggles with the state of Illinois and the impact on Western. Although it has stabilized a bit, we must approach our financial model much differently than when most of us attended Western—almost like a private university in terms of financial funding and management. Please consider giving to Western during the year to support programs and students so that future young men and women can enjoy the Western tradition and Leatherneck pride that you cherish, and they so richly deserve. Planned giving programs are another excellent way to leave a legacy to your alma mater that will have meaning and live on forever. Every dollar makes a difference!

We can do this. YOU can do this. Make a difference NOW! You will feel great knowing that you are changing the world for the students of Western for the better and for the future. The ones who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones that do. LETS DO THIS!

GO WESTERN!

John Sanders ‘74

President, WIU Alumni Council

P.S. Feel free to contact me directly at any time at johnesanders98@yahoo.com. When was the last time you visited Western? #WIUHomecoming 2019 is October 4-5 … be there, if not before!

Alumni Council Members Sought

The WIU Alumni Association is looking for dedicated leaders of all ages, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, career fields, etc. to serve on the WIU Alumni Council. If you or someone you know is an active alumnus that would be a good candidate, please send the application form and resume to the Alumni Association at 1 University Circle, Macomb, IL 61455 or fax (309)298-2914. The deadline is March 1. (You may save and email your form to A-Association@wiu.edu only if your computer has Adobe Acrobat Professional, not Adobe Acrobat Reader.)

Advice for Freshmen: If you haven't picked a major yet then pick one that you can get a job in when you graduate. After you graduate, remember to give back to the university.

Favorite WIU Memory: I enjoyed going to all the sporting events from football to basketball to baseball. Living off campus was a great learning experience.

Family/Hobbies: Four of my Six children have graduated from WIU. A former marathon runner and triathlete and after four knee surgeries and a ruptured Achilles I'm now into hot Yoga. Look for me tailgating at Bears home games in the Museum Lot. We are the ones flying the WIU flag. Stop by and introduce yourself.